Hunted with three others and a Guide On Saturday 12/27/08 off an Island south of South Sautee but did not kill a duck. Killed one Goose that came in with a flock I called close enough to take a whack at.

I've only been able to hunt 5 days this season over there. Has been on 2 different trips while visiting family. In those 5 days I've taken 25 ducks and 2 geese. As you guys know it all depends on where you're at on the river. Gotta scout it hard and luckily my brother is covering that for me this year.

That lake will drive you crazy some years..and the added hunting pressure over the last 10-12 years has not helped any. I've been hunting over there since the late 80's and alot has changed...most for the good as far as duck numbers. I grew up in the area and was lucky enough to get to hunt it regularly when I had time. I have to rely on my brother that still lives close and past experience now on what few trips I get to make.

Bottom line is I've been lucky..very lucky.. this season to be in the right spot at the right time. All I've killed have been gadwall which is unusual for me because I primarily diver hunt.

3 of us went for te first time Friday and Sat. Scouted and found a few birds on Friday afternoon. Set up and birds began flitering back in but landing with the coots about 150 200 yards outs. Lots of cans with a few grey ducks on Friday
Sat. same place seen lot me cans it seemed and less grey ducks. killed 2 drake ringers. Birds very call shy. birds are saying anything while sitting on the water. once you jumping them up it doesn't take long for them to filter back in. Would love to try the layout boat appraoch with about 5-6 doz. coot deeks. So 1 group hunting out of the layout on Sat but didn't talk to them to see how they did. Prolly head back up before season goes out.

I've been up there on two different trips this year, been hunting south sauty mostly. Been hard hunting for us. We've killed several gadwall but nothing really to brag about, not seeing the amount of divers this year that I am used to seeing here by this time. Seeing a few cans and bufflehead and a ringneck and bluebill here and there. We are having some luck when we are scouting mid day or afternoon and decide to setup real quick in an area where a bunch of birds got up and wait for them to come back in. We've done the whole 60 coot and 1/2 dozen gadwall decoy spread but you just cant compete with a group of hundreds of coots out in the middle of the water. It's funny, you can be watching some birds fly and here a shot way off and the birds fly up another 50ft. We hooked a couple gadwall decoys up to a jerk string and had some singles and doubles come check it out. It's almost as if it might just be better finding the birds and not putting any decoys out at all. I don't know, just a little frustrated this year, you think your doing everything right and it just hasn't come together yet.

Buddy of mine hunted the greentree reservior in mud creek the other day and ran up on some hunters drinking beer and smoking weed in the duck blind.

jwhite wrote:3 of us went for te first time Friday and Sat. Scouted and found a few birds on Friday afternoon. Set up and birds began flitering back in but landing with the coots about 150 200 yards outs. Lots of cans with a few grey ducks on FridaySat. same place seen lot me cans it seemed and less grey ducks. killed 2 drake ringers. Birds very call shy. birds are saying anything while sitting on the water. once you jumping them up it doesn't take long for them to filter back in. Would love to try the layout boat appraoch with about 5-6 doz. coot deeks. So 1 group hunting out of the layout on Sat but didn't talk to them to see how they did. Prolly head back up before season goes out.

now that was difficult to read to say the least.

We have been having pretty good sucess on the river. There are a TON of cans thats for sure. If you ever find "the birds"them you can kill them.

Last edited by rspringer on Tue Jan 06, 2009 4:01 pm, edited 1 time in total.

those cans are gonna turn into pets if they keep up these closed seasons on them...hopefully be able to lay a smack down on them when we can kill'em again...I know of a person or two that "forgot" they had a can in the freezer from last year and just took them to the taxidermist. yeah right!

on the TENN river ,, had a great day fri , with a mixed bag of mallard, and bluebill . and ring neck . hunted in the rain all day sat ,, did not fare as well , but took 3 mallard , and scouted for a while .. canvas back is all over me ,, had to leave to avoid split second ,, bad decisions ...hope they open it back up ..

Watched the sun set on my last evening for this season and watched what seemed to be thousands of ducks in the air, Canvasbacks every where, pitching into my spread which included only three GHG Cans in it. Since we could not shoot them we just watched the display. Was beautiful to see. Perhaps next year we will get to harvest a few of them.